Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket Bat

Autographed Kerry Packer 'World Series Cricket' bat. The inscription in black biro reads "World Series Cricket 1977-78".

This bat was signed by the players and administrators involved with the first season of World Series Cricket and given to Kerry Packer as a gift. Packer viewed this bat as a highly valuable personal possession because it is signed by the people that helped him make World Series Cricket a success.

The first season was viewed as a failure and many believed WSC would not return for a second season, but Packer persisted gaining the rights to play matches at the traditional Sydney Cricket Ground.

The turning point came on 28 November, 1978 when the first Day/Night match was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground to a full stadium. WSC went from strength to strength from that day on, changing the face of cricket.

Signature list:
West Indies XI team inscription in black biro: Clive Lloyd, Deryck Murray, Roy Fredericks, Lawrence Rowe, Joel Garner, Bernard Julien, Collis King, Michael Holding, David Holford, Andy Roberts, Wayne Daniel, Jim Allen, Albert Padmore.

World XI team: Tony Greig, Eddie Barlow, John Snow, Mike Proctor, Zaheer Abbas, Derek Underwood, Barry Richards, Bob Woolmer, Sarfraz Narwaz, Majid Khan, Asif Iqbal, Allan Knott, Imran Khan, Dennis Amiss.

Australian XI team: Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell, Ray Bright, Rod Marsh, Wayne Prior, Mick Malone, Ian Davis, Kerry O'Keeffe, Len Pascoe, Bruce Laird, Rob Langer, Doug Walters, Martin Kent, Trevor Chappell, Max Walker, Rick McCosker, Ross Edwards, Gary Gilmour.

Administrators: Kerry Packer, Austin Robertson, Richie Benaud, John Cornell, Bill Lawry, Keith Stackpole.